DAI Staff Host NDU Classes on Asia, Economic Growth

March 06, 2012

DAI staff made presentations last week to military and civilian members of the Agribusiness Industry Study Group from the National Defense University. The group visited DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, on February 29 to receive training in food security and competitiveness, from bioterrorism and economic development perspectives, targeting Asia and the Pacific.

Topics and presenters included:

• “DAI: Partners in the Pacific” by Karen Walsh
• “Food Security Concepts” by Chuck Chopak
• “Vietnam Lessons Learned (STAR, VNCI I&II)” by Helle Weeke
• “Afghanistan Freight Logistics” by Duke Burruss
• “Emerging Pandemic Threat Implications for Food Security in Asia” by Jerry Martin

Zan Northrip, managing director of DAI’s Economic Growth sector, gave opening remarks.

“For people to feel stable and secure is one of the key goals of the U.S. military; it also drives much of the work we do. This common interest as indicated by the participants drives the need for greater coordination between all parties,” said DAI’s Duke Burruss, who organized the event. “It was a privilege to share lessons learned in areas such as food security and economic growth, and our team very much enjoyed the give and take with members of the class.”

The class included lieutenant colonels and colonels from U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army Reserve, Canadian Forces, and Philippines Air Force; and civilians from the U.S. Department of State, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Defense Contract Management Agency, Department of Army, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The event marks the fifth consecutive year the National Defense University received training at DAI.